Online Newsletter

Excerpted from our print newsletter. See the printed newsletter for detailed
Field Trip directions and reports, for phone and addresses for yard visits and
additional articles. Join now to obtain
the benefits of full membership!

NEXT MEETING IN
DADE COUNTY

Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 7:30 pm, at Fairchild Tropical
Botanic Garden, Corbin Building, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Free and open to the
public. Refreshments begin at 7:15 pm. Merchandise sales are before and
after the program (cash/checks only). The plant raffle follows the program.

Before the meeting at 7pm: Chapter members -- come
early to give your input on any topics you may wish to discuss with board
members.

The fire-dependant pine rocklands ecosystem supports diverse
communities of flora and fauna, including many rare and imperiled species.
Fire is an essential, but sometimes controversial, tool used to maintain the
structure and diversity of this habitat. In 2005, monitoring was initiated to
assess the impact of fire on two rare butterflies, the Florida leafwing and
Bartram’s Hairstreak, and their host plant, pineland croton (Croton linearis).
Learn about the results and how they might affect adaptive fire management to
maintain rare butterfly habitats.

UPCOMING FIELD
TRIPS

If the weather is very bad, call to confirm. Field trips
are for the study of plants and enjoyment of nature by FNPS members and guests.
Collecting is not permitted. Children are welcome. For carpooling, call Patty
(305-255-6404).

Saturday, April 17: Coastal Prairie Trail, Everglades
National Park. According to the ENP website, "this old road once used
by cotton pickers and fishermen. Open prairies of succulent coastal
plants dotted with shady buttonwoods surround you as you journey towards the
shore of Florida Bay." We will enjoy the interesting array of plants
with ENP biologist Jimi Sadle. We will also learn about changes
to the area over the past several decades due to events such as Hurricane Donna
in 1960, the hurricanes of 2005 and invasion of exotics. We last visited this
area in February 2005, so expect to see changes. It could be hot and buggy,
but we'll take it easy, and a trip with Jimi is always immensely informative
and enjoyable.

Meeting time and place:The meeting time
and location, and directions are in the print newsletter mailed to Dade Chapter
FNPS members.

Bring/wear: Sturdy shoes, long pants and
sleeves, bug and sun protection, water. Bring lunch if you’d like to
picnic before heading home.

KEYS BRANCH ACTIVITIES

To receive e-mail reminders of Keys branch activities, please
contact Barb Moe, barbmoe@bellsouth.net.
Remember that all chapter members are welcome at both Keys and Dade
activities.

Meeting: Tuesday, April 20. Marathon Garden
Club, mile marker 52.7 Bayside. Come at 7 pm for socializing and plant ID. The
program starts at 7:30 and is followed by the native plant raffle. Please
bring plant donations for the raffle!

Field trip: Saturday, April 24. Yard visits in
Marathon to the native plant landscaping at the homes of Anne Wilson and Joy
Tatgenhorst. Begin at Joy's at 69th Street Ocean. More details will be
available at the meeting and in the e-mail reminder (if you have signed up
for that). Or for more information: Lisa at 305-743-0978 or ledzepllg@bellsouth.net

APRIL EVENTS - VOLUNTEER
OR ENJOY

Chapter volunteers are needed for three events in April.
Please contact Amy Leonard (305-458-0969, aleonar74@yahoo.com), if you can help by setting up a
chapter information table (the first two events) or helping answer plant
questions (the FTBG spring sale). Or if you can't help, just attend to enjoy!

April 10: 14th Annual Miami River Day at Lummus Park in
downtown Miami, 11am-4pm. This free festival celebrates the history and
culture of Miami’s working river. Riverboat tours, live music, children
activities, environmental education, historical re-enactors, art displays,
music of Lanny Smith and The Earthman Project, the Spam Allstars, and The
Resolvers. (www.miamirivercommission.org)

April 24-25: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's Food
and Garden Festival and the 31st Annual Spring Plant Sale. The chapter
will have one or more native plant vendors participate, but some extra help to
answer the shopper's questions helps ensure that the shoppers are getting the
rights plants for their needs. The chapter gets a small cut of the proceeds,
and this is an educational opportunity as well. The festival is a new
addition, and will feature cooking demonstrations and a farmer's market. (www.fairchildgarden.org)

NOTICE OF ANNUAL CHAPTER
MEETING - NEW BOARD MEMBERS ARE NEEDED

At the May 25 chapter meeting, members will elect new
chapter board members and attend to any other business brought to the floor. Is
it time for you to serve on the Dade Chapter board? The President,
Vice-President and some Directors at Large will be elected this year for two
year terms. A slate will be presented by the nominating committee for approval
by the membership.

If you might be interested in serving on the board or would
like to nominate someone else, please contact Ted Shaffer, Vice-President
and chair of the nominating committee (TedShaffer@bellsouth.net,
305-498-6266) as soon as possible. You can talk to Ted or other board
members about what is involved. The main qualifications are enthusiasm
and a desire to see the chapter thrive. You don’t have to be a botanist - a
variety of skills are always needed on the board.

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter Workday at Everglades
National Park: April 10, 9am-noon. Help
with our native plant habitat landscaping maintenance around the Coe Visitors
Center. Drinks, gloves, hand tools and bug spray are provided, but you may
want to bring your own, and snacks to share. Bring sun protection! New
helpers and friends are encouraged to come. Everyone in your car gets into the
park free after the workday. For more information contact Patty Phares
(305-255-6404, pphares@mindspring.com).

July Evening Yard Visit and Social meeting - in your
yard? Instead of meeting at Fairchild, we visit a member's yard for a
casual yard tour and potluck dinner. The yard does not need to be all native
or a fancy showcase. The night is traditionally our usual meeting night, but
this is not required. If you might be interested, please contact Ami Frey as
soon as possible (amidafrey@hotmail.com,
305-854-3551).

Native butterfly plants are still needed for the
chapter's butterfly garden project with the Deering Estate. Please contact
Gita (gita.ramsay@gmail.com,
786-877-7168). See details and suggested plants in the February Tillandsia.
Seeds, cuttings and potted plants are being accepted.

Photos are needed to document the chapter's history in
the 1980s and 1990s. Digital, slide or print photos would be appreciated.
Please contact Lynka Woodbury (lwoodbury@fairchildgarden.org,
305-667-1651 x3427) or Patty Phares (pphares@mindspring.com, 305-255-6404) if
you have photos of people, special events, awards presentations, etc.

The Institute for Regional Conservation. Volunteer
Workday at Miami Metrozoo’s pine rocklands, April 10, 9am-2pm. The IRC is
hosting a Volunteer Workday as part of its Pine Rockland Initiative to restore
this globally imperiled habitat. Removal of the invasive Brazilian Pepper and
Burmareed will be the primary goal. Individuals and groups should contact Jim
Duquesnel at The IRC (305-505-9192) for more details. Refreshments and a
barbecue lunch will be provided. Wear long sleeves/pants, closed shoes, hat;
bring gloves and refillable water bottle. Meet at “Gate 2” at Metrozoo (12400
Southwest 152nd Street) to get a ride to the worksite.

Tropical Audubon Society. Doc Thomas House, 5530
Sunset Dr., Miami. 305-667-7337, www.tropicalaudubon.org.
These activities are open to the public and most are free. To receive a free monthly e-mail TAS newsletter with
up to the minute information on activities and conservation news: send your name to tropicalaudubon@gmail.com. You
don't need to be a member of TAS.

Apr. 14:Monthly meeting.Jackie
Feinberg presents "Wild Utah: America's Redrock Wilderness." A
multi-media journey that documents citizen efforts to designate public lands in
southern Utah's spectacular canyon country as part of the National Wilderness
Preservation System. Doors open at 7:30 pm, program at 8 pm.

Join thousands of volunteers for the largest shoreline
cleanup of its kind in South Florida (9am-noon), followed by an Earth Day
celebration at the Deering Estate (11am-1pm). There are also a host of other
activities as part of the month-long celebration.

May 2: Meeting at Castellow Hammock Park, 1 pm. "Dragonflies: We See Them, So Let's Get to Know
Them" - by Raul Urguelles, Everglades National Park. Come early to
butterfly. Castellow Hammock is at 22301 SW 162 Avenue.

Dade Native Plant Workshop. MDC Kendall campus
Landscape Technology Center. 3rd Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Bring at least
three flowering/fruiting plants of any species. Contact Steve, 786-488-3101, Stevewoodmansee@bellsouth.net.
See http://nativeplantworkshop.ning.com/.
Joining the new networking site will enable you to receive notices of meetings
and post your own photos of plants, but don't have to join to see the site. The
April 20 workshop topic is Halophytic (salt loving) plants.

"DNA Barcoding in Plants: The Future of
Identification, Discovery and Conservation of Tropical Biodiversity"

by Dr. John Kress, National Museum of Natural History,
Smithsonian Institution.

The lecture is preceded by an arboretum tour at 6pm and
followed by a reception at 8:30. Don't miss this informative, enjoyable,
free annual event! More details at www.bio.miami.edu/arboretum or 305-284-5364.

FAIRCHILD NEEDS NATIVE
SEEDS

FTBG is expanding its native collection and is seeking seeds
and plants of species that are not readily available in the nursery
trade. We are particularly interested in grasses and wildflowers, even
small quantities are welcome. We will be accepting material continually,
so please keep us in mind during the coming months for plants that may not have
seed now. Please contact Hillary Burgess at 305-667-1651 ex 3343 or hburgess@fairchildgarden.org if you are interested in donating material. The following is a "wish list"
of some desired plants.

GEORGE N. AVERY AWARD FOR
SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS - PART II

by Gita Ramsay

We are pleased to announce another excellent science fair project
presentation to take place at the Dade Chapter meeting on April 27th. Victor
Moas, Jesus Melendez, and Robert Wollberg, from Christopher Columbus High
School, will speak about their project, "Breaking the Dormancy of Senna
mexicana Seeds."

Abstract

Senna mexicana is a plant native to the pine
rocklands and hammocks of southern Florida and parts of the Caribbean. The
purpose of this experiment was to determine if the dormancy in the seeds of S.
mexicana could be broken by reproducing certain environmental conditions.
400 seeds were used in this experiment. They were divided into 4 groups of
100, given different treatments intended to mirror environmental conditions,
and placed in Petri dishes for observation. 100 seeds were given no treatment
and were used as a control. Another 100 seeds were baked for 5 minutes at 80
degrees Celsius, in an attempt to reproduce the effects of a forest fire. In
the third group of 100 seeds, the outer seed coat of each seed was nicked using
a straight–edged razor. This treatment was intended to reproduce the effects
of physical scarification in the rocky and abrasive pine rockland environment.
The last 100 seeds were exposed to muriatic acid (diluted HCL) for 5 minutes.
This treatment was intended to reproduce the acidic conditions of an animal’s
stomach.

The results were as follows: moderate germination in the
control, poor germination in the baked group and in the group exposed to acid,
and high germination in the group which received the nicking treatment. These
results prove that the dormancy in S. Mexicana seeds can be broken by
reproducing certain environment al conditions. In particular, reproducing
natural abrasion with a razor blade can be used to break the dormancy of S.
Mexicana seeds.

Victor Moas, who also won an Avery award in 2009 and
was a finalist at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair last
year. He has volunteered with the Center for Tropical Plant Conservation at
FTBG, and been accepted to several prestigious universities in Florida. We thank
Victor for teaching his team members how to do an excellent science fair
project!

Jesus Melendez, originally from Puerto Rico, and
transferred to Miami in the 6th grade. He is a member of the Science Honor
Society, Rho Kappa (History Club), Pre-Med Club, and a Mas Family Scholar. He
also plays on the school’s volleyball team and volunteers through his church.

Robert Wollberg is a senior and plans to study
chemical engineering and music in college. He plays guitar with his high
school jazz band and has been a member of the high school swimming team for
four years.

FAKAHATCHEE FIELD TRIP 2010: EPIPHYTES GALORE

By Chuck McCartney

Crisp, clear midwinter weather greeted the group of 25
members of the Dade Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (including
several from the Keys) who ventured into Southwest Florida’s famed Fakahatchee
Strand for the chapter’s February 28 field trip. The goal was a beautiful
slough on the west side of W.J. Janes Scenic Memorial Drive, which is the
strand’s access road.

The intrepid “swamp trompers” were led by FNPS member
Russ Clusman, now a veteran Fakahatchee trekker who says his first introduction
to the strand was on a Dade Chapter field trip there in 1998. Joining Russ in
shepherding the large group through the slough were popular and knowledgeable
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park biologist Mike Owen and environmental
consultant Jack Lange of the FNPS Broward Chapter.

As the group spread out along the route and explored
in knee-deep (or deeper) water, the slough yielded a bounty of interesting
tropical plants – especially epiphytes, those fascinating plants that grow on
trees.

Thirteen orchid species were observed, two of those in
flower: Epidendrum anceps (which Mike Owen calls the Roller Coaster
Orchid because of its leaf arrangement and which bears small clusters of little
greenish flowers); and Prosthechea cochleata var. triandra (the
Clamshell Orchid, with its purple, shell-like lip pointing upward) illustrated
below. Many plants of the latter were full of their distinctive three-sided
seed capsules because the flowers are self-pollinating.

Other orchids in fruit were: Epidendrum nocturnum (the large Night-Scented Epidendrum); Epidendrum rigidum (a weedy little
species); Habenaria floribunda (the Tooth-Petal Rein Orchid); and Malaxis
spicata (the diminutive Florida Adder’s Mouth Orchid). The latter two
species are normally terrestrial but in the swamp, they grow on floating logs,
cypress knees and the bases of Pond Apple (Annona glabra) and Pop-Ash (Fraxinus
caroliniana) trees.

Two of Florida’s three fascinating leafless orchids
related to the African angraecoids were observed in fruit, too: Dendrophylax
porrectus (the tiny Jingle Bell Orchid formerly known as Harrisella
porrecta); and Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum (the flat-rooted Ribbon
Orchid).

Of orchids seen that weren’t in flower or fruit, one
of the most interesting was the vine-like Vanilla phaeantha. Even though
this is Florida’s most common native leafy Vanilla species, its range is
mostly confined to the Fakahatchee, where it is relatively widespread, although
it recently has been refound in Everglades National Park.

But perhaps the prize find of the trip orchid-wise was
a single robust plant of Epidendrum floridense (a species long
misidentified as Epidendrum difforme). This orchid, which has been
dubbed by some the Florida Jade Orchid because of its clear, somewhat
translucent greenish flowers borne in the later summer and early autumn, is
encountered only occasionally in the Fakahatchee.

Rounding out the baker’s dozen of orchid species
observed were a healthy plant of Encyclia tampensis (the so-called
Florida Butterfly Orchid); a fading plant of the scarce Liparis nervosa (which has no good common name); and a reported plant of Habenaria repens (the Water Spiders Orchids).

Bromeliads are another big component of the epiphytic
flora of the Fakahatchee, and eight species were observed on the field trip.
Six were commonly encountered species in the genus Tillandsia, the most
abundant bromeliad genus in Florida and the namesake of the chapter’s monthly
newsletter. These were: T. balbisiana, T. fasciculata, T. setacea, T.
usneoides, T. utriculata and T. variabilis.

The two other bromeliads seen are rare in Florida. Guzmania
monostachia, although widespread and relatively plentiful in the
Fakahatchee, is very scarce elsewhere in the state. The rarest bromeliad seen
was Catopsis nutans (the tiny Nodding Catopsis), which is found in the
United States only in the Fakahatchee.

Field trip participants got to see seven epiphytic fern
species, including the common Golden Serpent Fern (Phlebodium aureum),
Resurrection Fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides) and Shoestring Fern (Vittaria
lineata). All three of the state’s Strap Fern species were seen by at least
some members of the group. Everyone saw the common one, Campyloneurum
phyllitidis, but more exciting discoveries were the rare Campyloneurum
costatum (the Tailed Strap Fern) and the even rarer Campyloneurum
angustifolium (the Narrow Strap Fern). The other rare fern seen was a real
find, a healthy plant of Asplenium serratum (the Florida Bird Nest
Fern).

Two other epiphytes showed up in the slough. The
frequently encountered Peperomia obtusifolia was observed, and some
members of the group got to see small plants of the less common reddish Peperomia
humilis.

Chapter members who missed this field trip to the
Fakahatchee missed a real treat.

BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM
DCFNPS

The book reviewed below is available from DCFNPS for $14
-- a true bargain! There are many copies of this title available, so you
can even buy enough for a whole class of students.

It is one of numerous titles donated by Mark Bolla (see the
March Tillandsia). If you are interested in a complete list of the
additional books now available, please email Susan Walcutt at walcutts@bellsouth.net.

Significant discounts apply to all these books -- don’t miss
out on some great deals!

BOOK REVIEW

The Biology of Trees
Native to Florida2nd edition, 2001P.B. Tomlinson

by Martin Roessler

The first portion of this book provides information on the
origin and distribution of the flora of extreme south Florida and the
distribution of major plant communities with description of the physical attributes
of the land and climate that control limit these communities. The introductory
section also contains a comprehensive analysis of growth types and floral types
of Florida trees.

The main portion of the book consists of species accounts of
most of the native tree species found in the tropical parts of Florida. The
second edition includes the palms (Arecaceae) which were not treated in the
earlier printings. The revision includes corrections and additions based on
scientific literature up to 2001. More recent taxonomic treatments can be found
in the Flora of North America series and in Wunderland and Hansen’s 2003 Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida.

The species accounts are assembled by family and the
families are arranged alphabetically in the book. For each family there is a
general description of the distinguishing features followed by a taxonomic key
to the genera within the family. The characteristics of each genus are
presented followed by a key to the species within each genus. For each species,
an excellent description including range and habitat information a detailed
section on growth and flowering and fruiting is presented. At least one species
of each genus is illustrated by Pricilla Fawcett. Ms. Fawcett’s botanical
illustrations provide detailed illustrations of characters used in
identification as well as vegetation, flowers and fruits. Neither the
photographs of Scurlock’s Native Trees & Shrubs of the Florida Keys or Hammer’s Florida Keys Wildflowers and Everglades Wildflowers provide the detail or breathe of coverage as the illustrations in Tomlinson’s
book.

The third portion of the book consists of a checklist,
apparently unchanged from earlier printings, an artificial key to families or
genera and indices to scientific and to common names of the plants treated in
the book. Unfortunately the glossary found in earlier editions is missing and
the key does not appear to be corrected. Even with the disclaimer at the end of
the key, it would have been useful to correct couplet 30B to lead to couplet 48
and to have couplet 65B lead to couplet 71.

The strength of Tomlinson’s book is in his extensive
research on growth and reproduction in native trees and the excellent accounts
coupled with Pricilla Fawcett’s excellent illustrations. The book is still an
excellent reference and a must read for those interested in Florida and
Bahamian trees.

Editor's note: The first edition of this
book has been a favorite of mine forever. I grab it when I want to know if a
species is dioecious and how to tell the sexes apart before they fruit, at what
stage seed should be collected to propagate, and lots of interesting and useful
information -- it's not just for botanists!

ONLINE RESOURCES

Are you confused about your Boston ferns? Do you
have the non-native Tuberous sword fern or the native in your yard? It's
probably the non-native, since that has been widely distributed for many years,
but here is how you can find out. Detailed information on identification of
these ferns is in:

The Dade Chapter Florida Native Plant Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
dedicated to the understanding and preservation of Florida's native flora
and natural areas, and promoting native plants in landscapes.

The chapter includes residents of Miami-Dade County and the Keys.
Meetings
in Miami-Dade County are on the 4th Tuesday of most months at Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden and are free and open to the public. Once a year,
instead of the usual meeting, members and their guests are invited to an
evening garden tour and social at a member's home.
Meetings in
the Keys are held on 3rd Tuesdays in November through April at varying locations
from Key Largo to Key West, alternating between Key Largo and Marathon.